1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention is within X-Ray photography. More particularly, it has to do with cine X-Ray photography with respect to anatomical coronary evaluation. It particularly deals with establishing cine photographic images on a correct basis and the adjustment of the equipment for cine X-Ray analysis and evaluation of coronary vessels and surrounding tissue.
2. The Prior Art
Cardiovascular or anatomical coronary vessel phantoms have been used in the past for providing adjustment and analysis of X-Ray equipment. In particular, the X-Ray equipment is of the type used for cine filming of heart vessels and related tissue and vessels.
It has been known to utilize cine film for photographing heart vessels on a dynamic basis. This is due to the fact the heart vessels in particular are in a dynamic state inasmuch as the heart is constantly pumping and can be evaluated more favorably by cine techniques rather than still X-Rays.
During the evaluation of heart vessels, the cine film is run at approximately thirty frames per second after a dye has been injected into the heart vessels. The dye is usually of an iodine type which is absorptive of X-Rays. The X-Ray absorption allows a pattern or a reproduction of a film to evince the various aspects of the heart vessels so as to determine clogged arteries and other characteristics of a given heart.
In the past, it has been known to utilize an anatomical coronary vessel phantom in the form of a pig's heart. The pig's heart was encapsulated within plastic and crafted to provide an anatomical equivalent to a human heart. The vessels were provided with a radiopaque material for radiographic modelling to provide setup adjustments for cine equipment.
The radiation absorption characteristics of the block and the pig's heart with the radiopaque material therein was used to adjust cine equipment for accurate filming.
The organic characteristics of a pig's heart, absorptive characteristics of the radiopaque material in the vessels of the pig's heart and other aspects of the anatomical coronary vessel phantoms of the prior art could not be consistently established. As a consequence, certain spurious images were evinced in the use of such phantoms. Also, scatter was encountered, as well as other aspects so that the sharpest available image for cine film could not be maintained.
This particular invention utilizes a consistently absorptive structure for adjusting and maintaining cine equipment for cardiovascular analysis. The adjustment can readily take place in an easy and facile manner. The phantom of this invention is consistent with regard to absorptive characteristics, the angles that it provides, the general degree of scatter and the overall impression with regard to tissue equivalents. In this manner, cine equipment is adjusted to provide substantially optimal results to the viewer of cardiovascular films.